Our Hen House: Vegan & Animal Rights Movement | Stories from the Frontlines of Animal Liberation

In this thought-provoking interview, Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan speak with Liv Baker and Kristin Stewart from PAN Works about their groundbreaking “animal trusteeship” framework – a new approach that transforms how we advocate for wild animals in decision-making processes that affect their lives. Key Points: Wildlife Representation Framework: Pan Works has developed an innovative animal trusteeship model that gives wild animals direct representation in environmental decision-making processes Legal Innovation for Animal Rights: This framework builds on pet trust statutes that created the legal precedent for animals to be recognized as trust beneficiaries rather than merely property Decentering Human Interests: Unlike traditional conservation approaches that prioritize human needs, animal trustees focus exclusively on representing the wellbeing and interests of specific animal populations Practical Application in Conservation: The National Wolf Conversation demonstrated how animal trustees can effectively represent wildlife interests in major policy discussions Advocacy Tool for Environmental Decision-Making: The animal trusteeship approach provides a structured, transparent method for ensuring animal perspectives are considered in public hearings and policy development ABOUT OUR GUESTS Kristin L. Stewart, JD, PhD, is an attorney, scholar, and founding board member of PAN Works, an independent think-tank dedicated to the wellbeing of animals. Her work bridges legal practice and ethical theory, with a focus on how we care for and represent animals in law and policy. Kris’s teaching includes graduate and undergraduate courses in animal law, policy, and ethics, and her writing on animal law appears in both scholarly and popular publications. She has also practiced animal law in a variety of contexts, alongside broader work in environmental law and government litigation. Her legal experience—including estate planning with pet trusts and a deep understanding of the limits of the Public Trust Doctrine—informed the co-authored article In Trust: A Framework for Animal Representation. Dr. Liv Baker is a conservation behaviorist and expert in wild animal wellbeing. She is Chair of the Board of PAN Works, Research Director at Mahouts Elephant Foundation, and teaches at Sarah Lawrence College. Her work focuses on compassionate conservation and the ways animals shape their own lives and communities. We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ The Veganic Summit is a free online event from November 7th-9th, 2025. You’ll learn how plant foods can be grown using techniques that are both vegan and organic, without any chemical fertilizers or any animal byproducts like manure or bonemeal. If you’d like to start your own veganic garden or learn about sustainable plant-based farming, sign up for the Veganic Summit today at https://veganicsummit.com/ _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this week’s episode of The Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann balance the melancholy of fall with a lively rundown of animal rights news. Between linguistic deep dives and Jasmin’s theatrical preparations (complete with “lozengers” of questionable etymology), the duo delivers updates that actually matter for animals. They discuss the USDA’s increasingly toothless enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, celebrate the long-overdue closure of the notorious Miami Seaquarium, and explore promising developments in cultivated meat cat food. The hosts also reflect on how everyday institutions normalize animal exploitation for children, reminding us that the fight for animal rights extends far beyond the obvious battlegrounds. This episode explores: How the USDA’s enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act has deteriorated, with warnings replacing actual penalties for violators The encouraging shift away from animal testing at NIH, proving that even strange political bedfellows can deliver positive outcomes The long-awaited closure of the Miami Seaquarium after decades of animal rights activism Promising developments in cultivated meat technology specifically designed for carnivorous companion animals How cultural institutions subtly normalize animal exploitation through children’s exhibits and displays RESOURCES Animal abusers are getting let off the hook. Trump and his Supreme Court are partly to blame. Can Trump End This Impossibly Cruel Practice? The Miami Seaquarium was once beloved. It’s shutting down after accusations of neglect. Omni Pet Files First Patent for Cat Food That Blends Cultivated Meat and Plant Proteins Flock members and activists extraordinaire Goose and Silvia Rodriguez have written a bilingual (English/Spanish) vegan-themed children’s book called Someone, Not Something: ALGUIEN, NO ALGO We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ The Veganic Summit is a free online event from November 7th-9th, 2025. You’ll learn how plant foods can be grown using techniques that are both vegan and organic, without any chemical fertilizers or any animal byproducts like manure or bonemeal. If you’d like to start your own veganic garden or learn about sustainable plant-based farming, sign up for the Veganic Summit today at https://veganicsummit.com/ _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this week’s sardonic serving of Rising Anxieties, Mariann dives into the absurdist theater that is animal agriculture PR. From a tone-deaf defense of “necessary” mutilations (apparently clipping animals’ teeth is just like childproofing your home—who knew?), to some flattering paranoia about our movement’s supposed wealth and power, to the truly disturbing footage uncovered by Animal Partisan showing law enforcement conspiring with industry to shield the public from seeing dead piglets. All this plus a peek at the EU’s linguistic gymnastics to protect meat terminology from the terrifying threat of… plant-based burgers. This episode explores: How the industry’s own justifications for “weird but necessary animal care practices” inadvertently make the case for abolishing animal agriculture altogether The revealing police body cam footage showing state troopers actively blocking journalists from documenting livestock truck crashes to protect industry interests The latest claims about the animal rights movement’s growing influence and coordination (we’ll take the compliment!) The ongoing EU battle over plant-based product terminology, with lawmakers voting to ban terms like “burger” and “sausage” for vegan alternatives A New York Post article calling animal advocates “loons” for supporting legislation banning retail sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this powerful episode, we speak with legendary investigator Gail Eisnitz about her new memoir, Out of Sight: An Undercover Investigator’s Fight for Animal Rights and Her Own Survival. Eisnitz shares her remarkable journey from HSUS writer to becoming their only female national investigator, and ultimately chief investigator for the Humane Farming Association, all while battling an undiagnosed visual processing disorder. With unflinching honesty, she recounts her decades-long fight to expose the horrors of factory farming and slaughterhouses, the challenges of getting media attention for animal suffering, and the profound personal toll this work has taken. Despite countless obstacles from industry, media gatekeepers, and law enforcement, Eisnitz’s investigations have created tangible change—including the story of Bitsy, a neglected racehorse whose photograph sparked the creation of Virginia’s first equine sanctuary. This episode explores: How Eisnitz became involved in investigating slaughterhouses after responding to a whistleblower’s complaint that other organizations ignored The emotional repression required to document animal suffering and the personal health consequences of this work Why slaughterhouse workers were willing to share their experiences of being forced to commit horrific acts against animals The systemic failures of law enforcement and media to address factory farming abuses despite overwhelming evidence How litigation may be the most promising path forward for creating meaningful change for farmed animals ABOUT OUR GUEST Gail A. Eisnitz, winner of the prestigious Albert Schweitzer Medal for outstanding achievement in animal welfare, has been working for decades to document and expose the shocking underbelly of the U.S. meat industry. She is chief investigator for the Humane Farming Association and author of the memoir, Out of Sight: An Undercover Investigator’s Fight for Animal Rights and Her Own Survival. Eisnitz and her first book, Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment inside the U.S. Meat Industry, were the driving force behind a front-page exposé in the Washington Post that resulted in an annual multimillion dollar Congressional appropriation for enforcement of the Humane Slaughter Act – the first funding ever allocated for a law that had been on the books for more than forty years. Eisnitz’s work has resulted in exposés by ABC’s Good Morning America, ABC’s PrimeTime Live, and Dateline NBC, has been featured in such newspapers as the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Miami Herald, Detroit Free Press, Texas Monthly, Denver Business Journal, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report, and her interviews have been heard on more than 1,600 radio stations. In her new memoir, Eisnitz takes readers on a journey of self-discovery as she fights to document and expose scandalous animal abuse, all in the face of a rare visual processing disorder that she has grappled with since childhood. The disease, which was only identified in the scientific literature a mere ten years ago– was diagnosed after she began writing her memoir– and is revealed at the book’s climax. We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ The Veganic Summit is a free online event from November 7th-9th, 2025. You’ll learn how plant foods can be grown using techniques that are both vegan and organic, without any chemical fertilizers or any animal byproducts like manure or bonemeal. If you’d like to start your own veganic garden or learn about sustainable plant-based farming, sign up for the Veganic Summit today at https://veganicsummit.com/ _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this episode of The Hen Report, Jimmy Videle joins the hens to discuss veganic farming at his Québec farm where he grows food without animal inputs, introduces his new book “Preserving Our Sacred Lands,” and shares details about the upcoming Veganic Summit (November 7-9). The hosts also cover Zoe Rosenberg’s animal rescue trial receiving coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s surprising push to phase out animal testing in government agencies. This episode explores: The principles of veganic farming, which uses “plants to grow plants” instead of animal-derived fertilizers while promoting biodiversity Details about the free online Veganic Summit featuring 14+ presenters from around the world sharing techniques for beginners and experienced growers Jimmy’s naturalist work and efforts to protect biodiversity through his writing and land conservation Zoe Rosenberg’s trial and the legal questions surrounding animal rescue from cruelty and death The potential political implications of RFK Jr.’s animal testing phase-out initiative at HHS RESOURCES Veganic Summit Online event coming November 7-9, 2025 North American Veganic Certification Standard Berkeley grad’s chicken ‘rescue’ trial begins in Sonoma County with question of intent vs. crime Animal welfare meets MAHA We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ The Veganic Summit is a free online event from November 7th-9th, 2025. You’ll learn how plant foods can be grown using techniques that are both vegan and organic, without any chemical fertilizers or any animal byproducts like manure or bonemeal. If you’d like to start your own veganic garden or learn about sustainable plant-based farming, sign up for the Veganic Summit today at https://veganicsummit.com/ _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this revealing episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan peels back the paper-thin veneer of PR to expose what’s really making Big Meat break into a sweat. From industry giants simultaneously fighting and adopting plant-based alternatives to the hilariously transparent attempts to convince consumers that dairy cows don’t actually care about their calves (spoiler alert: they absolutely do), we’re treated to a masterclass in cognitive dissonance that would make George Orwell slow-clap in appreciation. When farmers earnestly declare “bye boys” to the steers they’re shipping to slaughter while claiming deep love for these animals, you can almost hear the industry’s collective anxiety rising to a fever pitch. This episode explores: How corporate animal welfare campaigns are making meaningful progress despite industry pushback and denial Why meat giant JBS is launching plant-based brands in Europe while abandoning similar efforts in the US How weight-loss drugs like Ozempic represent an existential threat to meat consumption patterns The increasingly desperate industry narratives attempting to justify separating dairy calves from their mothers The revealing language farmers use when discussing animals destined for slaughter, exposing the disconnect between claimed care and actual practice We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

This episode explores the vision and priorities of Tracy Reiman, PETA‘s new president with over three decades of experience in animal advocacy. In this compelling conversation, Reiman shares insights into PETA’s evolving strategies to reach younger generations through innovative technology, while continuing their groundbreaking work through investigations, campaigns, and legal action. With 10.4 million members worldwide, PETA remains focused on creating the next generation of compassionate consumers while challenging industries that exploit animals – from wool production to animal testing. This episode explores: How PETA is adapting its advocacy strategies using technology like animatronics and virtual reality to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha The organization’s successful campaigns against fur and animal testing, and current focus on leather, wool, and other animal products PETA’s concerns about “humane washing” in the meat, dairy, and egg industries and why they believe it undermines progress for animals Tracy’s personal journey from college activist to PETA president, including the defining moments that shaped her dedication to animal rights Actionable ways listeners can get involved in animal advocacy through PETA’s action teams and resources ABOUT OUR GUEST Tracy Reiman serves as president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) after 34 years with the organization. A strategic force behind PETA’s global impact, she oversees international campaigns, corporate affairs, digital strategy, and youth outreach. Under her leadership, over 450 major fashion brands have abandoned fur and other animal products, Ringling Bros. circus ended animal performances, and SeaWorld halted orca breeding. Reiman pioneered PETA’s digital dominance, consistently outperforming other nonprofits in social media engagement, while making vegan options mainstream across America. Her early career victories include convincing major oil companies to prevent bird deaths, persuading Calvin Klein to abandon fur, halting NASA’s primate space experiments, and securing the first-ever factory farm cruelty conviction for chicken mistreatment. We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this week’s episode of The Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann navigate everything from protein powder debates to theories of change in animal activism with their signature blend of warmth and wit. The duo shares breaking news about Jane Goodall’s passing at 91—reflecting on her revolutionary approach to animal research and advocacy—while lamenting environmental organizations’ persistent reluctance to directly address animal consumption. Between their good-natured banter and thoughtful analysis, they offer a refreshing reminder that despite setbacks in the plant-based movement, the path forward requires multiple approaches working in synergy to create lasting change for animals. This episode explores: Different theories of change in animal advocacy, from incremental welfare reforms to vegan outreach and technological innovation Jane Goodall’s groundbreaking legacy in changing how science views animals as individuals with unique personalities How environmental organizations like Greenpeace continue to dance around directly addressing animal agriculture Exciting legal developments at Ridglan Farms, where a veterinarian’s license was suspended for allowing inhumane practices Why reports of “veganism’s death” are premature, with insights from Denmark’s national plant-based food initiatives RESOURCES Greenpeace activists in cages confront UN livestock conference in call for just transition from industrial agriculture Cass R. Sunstein – Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law’s Annual Lecture A Postmortem on Veganism Is Premature Flatbush Cats on YouTube Jane Goodall, Eminent Primatologist Who Chronicled the Lives of Chimps, Dies at 91 Out of Sight by Gail Eisnitz We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this spirited episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan ditches the intro song and dives headfirst into the media’s maddening blind spots around animal agriculture. With her trademark blend of righteous indignation and sharp wit, Mariann unpacks how mainstream outlets consistently fail to connect the dots between soy production, deforestation, and animal feed—all while industry spin doctors work overtime to rebrand environmental destruction as “regenerative” farming. Between The Guardian’s contradictory climate reporting and the Environmental Defense Fund’s cozy relationship with dairy producers, there’s plenty to raise your blood pressure. This episode explores: How media outlets consistently omit animal agriculture’s massive role in climate change, with less than 4% of climate news stories mentioning it The widespread misconception about soy production, with most people unaware it primarily feeds livestock, not humans The meaningless greenwashing term “regenerative agriculture” and how it allows the industry to make empty environmental claims Why smaller influencers may be more effective at promoting veganism than mega-celebrities who frequently abandon plant-based diets   We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this thought-provoking episode of the Animal Law Podcast, we dive into a First Amendment case that cuts straight to the heart of animal advocacy: can the government prevent activists from showing the public what actually happens to animals in industrial agriculture? Mariann speaks with Sara Berinhout of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) and John Greil of the University of Texas Law School’s Law and Religion Clinic about their representation of Daraius Dubash and Dr. Faraz Harsini. These dedicated animal advocates were arrested and threatened with arrest, respectively, for conducting a peaceful “Cube of Truth” demonstration in Houston’s Discovery Green park. Their crime? Simply showing silent documentary footage of standard farming practices. The case raises profound questions about whether the government can delegate its constitutional obligations to private entities, whether religious motivations for animal advocacy deserve special protection, and most importantly, whether the truth about animal agriculture is too disturbing to be seen in public spaces—even as those same spaces host barbecue festivals celebrating the end products of that system. Key Points First Amendment and Animal Advocacy: The case challenges whether showing footage of standard factory farming practices is protected speech in public parks. Religious Freedom for Animal Activists: Daraius Dubash’s Hindu practice of ahimsa (non-violence) makes his animal advocacy a constitutionally protected religious expression. Public Parks and Free Speech: The lawsuit questions whether local governments can evade First Amendment obligations by delegating management of public spaces to private entities. Content-Based Censorship: Park officials explicitly prohibited the silent documentary footage (from the film Dominion) because of its content while allowing other forms of protest. The Paradox of Legal Cruelty: The government’s own characterization of the footage as showing “torture” highlights the contradiction—they acknowledge the fact that the footage communicates to viewers the disturbing nature of common practices while preventing the public from seeing them. ABOUT OUR GUESTS Sara Berinhout is a First Amendment attorney at FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression), bringing expertise in constitutional law and free speech defense. A Harvard Law School magna cum laude graduate who clerked for Judge James C. Ho of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Berinhout previously practiced appellate litigation at Ropes & Gray LLP, where she specialized in complex civil litigation and white-collar defense, giving her unique insight into government restrictions on protected speech and religious expression in public forums. John Greil is a Clinical Professor of Law who co-teaches the Law and Religion Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law, specializing in First Amendment religious liberty cases and constitutional litigation. A Harvard Law School graduate and former clerk for Chief Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Greil’s expertise in religious freedom law has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Religion News Service, and Texas Public Radio, making him a leading authority on the intersection of religious practice and animal advocacy under the Free Exercise Clause. We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. ********** You can listen to the Animal Law Podcast directly on our website (at the top of this page) or you can listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher. Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it on Apple Podcasts, and don’t forget to leave us a friendly comment! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would consider making a donation or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Don’t forget to also listen to the award-winning,  weekly signature OHH podcast — now in its fifteenth glorious year!